BBASKETBALLASKETBALL | Page 3 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 Howard says he Barca to give will play when coach Setien season resumes glimmer in Orlando of hope Wednesday, July 8, 2020 TENNIS Dhul-Qa’da 17, 1441 AH Want Murray as GULF TIMES your personal coach? Bid to win SPORT Page 6 CRICKET Batting holds key to series as England, Windies clash West Indies face questions over whether their batsmen can give their bowlers enough runs to play with AFP London Lara warns West Indies atting could well determine ‘won’t last which side emerges on top when international cricket resumes fi ve days’ in Bafter months of coronavirus- England Tests enforced lockdown with the fi rst Test between England and the West Indies at Southampton starting today. London: West Indies great Both sides have proven pace attacks, Brian Lara says the Caribbean with West Indies captain Jason Holder side must try and beat “over- among a bowling unit set to include the whelming favourites” England likes of Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach in four days because their and Alzarri Joseph as the tourists look batting is not strong enough to retain the Wisden Trophy they won in to last five days. the Caribbean last year. Jason Holder’s tourists boast England too have plenty of pace bowl- a powerful pace attack but ing options, with veteran new-ball their batsmen have struggled duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad to post challenging totals in among a group of fast bowlers that also recent years. includes the Barbados-born Jofra Archer “They have to be able to and Mark Wood. pounce immediately,” Lara They, like the West Indies, will be said in comments on BBC captained by a seam-bowling all- Sport.”England are not beaten rounder of their own in new skipper very easily at home and are Ben Stokes, shouldering the burden of overwhelming favourites.” England leadership for the fi rst time in Lara, who scored a record the absence of regular captain Joe Root, 11,953 runs for West Indies in who is missing the match to attend the 131 Tests, said it was vital the birth of his second child. tourists adapted to English England have no spare batsman in conditions quickly. their 13-man squad, with Dom Bess “They have to hit the road the lone spinner, and that meaning the running and stamp their make-up of their pace attack appears authority on England,” said to be the outstanding issue. the 51-year-old. Injuries have prevented England “I don’t think they can last five pairing the express Archer and Wood days, so they have to take together since the former’s Test debut these games in four days. last year. They have to establish a lead But if they are both in the fi nal XI, it and keep it.” could mean Broad missing a fi rst home Ben Stokes will lead West Indies, who beat Eng- Test in eight years. England for the first time in land 2-1 in the Caribbean last With matches coming thick and fast the absence of regular year, have not won a series in — the three-match series will be over skipper Joe Root. England since 1988. before the end of the month — England “It’s going to be a series that’s may decide to hold Wood back for the watched all around the world second and third Tests at Old Traff ord. for 77 in the fi rst Test at Barbados last batting performances,” said England na- spend a little bit more time in the mid- for it.” and everybody is hoping to The pitch at Lancashire’s headquar- year, with Roach taking fi ve for 17. tional selector Ed Smith. dle,” said West Indies assistant coach This series also takes place against the see a competitive series,” ters traditionally has more bounce than Nevertheless, the pressure will be on West Indies also face questions over Roddy Estwick. backdrop of the Black Lives Matter cam- said Lara, who scored 34 Test the one at Southampton — a considera- the top order, for all England won a series whether their batsmen can give their How the teams are aff ected by playing paign, with both sides set to wear a BLM centuries. “It would mean a tion that is even more important given in South Africa this year, with Joe Denly bowlers enough runs to play with. behind closed doors, another anti-virus logo on their shirts. lot to all West Indians if they the temporary ban on bowlers using set to play despite averaging a modest 30 A likely top-fi ve of Kraigg Brathwaite, measure, rather than in front of the good “It means a hell of a lot to all the play- could win.“If they play good saliva in order to combat the spread of from 14 Tests. John Campbell, Shamarh Brooks, Shai crowds Tests in England usually attract, ers,” said West Indies coach Phil Sim- cricket on the first day of the Covid-19. “As a top-order batter Joe would ob- Hope and Roston Chase subsided to 49 also remains to be seen. mons. Test series, show they have Root’s absence weakens England’s viously love to convert those starts into for fi ve in their fi nal intra-squad warm- But England batsman Ollie Pope said: “But it doesn’t take the Black Lives the mettle to perform against batting, even if if he managed a mere hundreds...but also it is fully understood up innings at Old Traff ord. “When that Test match starts up, crowd Matter situation to bring us together as England, that’s the key.” – AFP four runs when the side were bowled out that he has contributed to good team “I would have loved to see the batsmen or no crowd, you are going to be really up a team.” FOOTBALL Barcelona ‘have obligation to re-sign Messi’ AFP The president said he was happy only with Leo, but also with the group, League in August. Barcelona with the direction of the club and especially with the captains.Besides, We have to try to win one and then maintained he had been right to re- lately we have a lot of topics to talk the other,” said Bartomeu. place Ernesto Valverde in January. about,” said Bartomeu. He said that Barca are trying to en- arcelona president Josep Mar- Bartomeu also said Barcelona are Before beating Villarreal 4-1 on sure home advantage for the second leg ia Bartomeu responded to a trying to have the second leg of the Sunday, Barcelona had drawn three of the Champions League tie against storm of speculation by saying Champions League second leg against of their previous four matches and Napoli. The clubs drew the fi rst leg 1-1 Bon Tuesday that the club had Napoli played at the Camp Nou in- slipped four points behind Real in the in Naples on February 25 before the “an obligation to re-sign” Lionel Messi, stead of at a neutral venue. title race, putting Setien under pres- season was interrupted. calling him “the best player in history”. Last week, another radio station, sure. “We are fi ghting for the second leg “Normally we do not explain the Cadena Ser, reported that Messi had Lionel Messi takes a “Setien will continue, of course,” of the round of 16 to be played at the discussions with players but it is evi- broken off negotiations on extending corner during a La Liga said Bartomeu. “I am quite happy Camp Nou. UEFA, if the situation is dent that we have the obligation to re- his contract, which runs until 2021, and match against Villarreal at with the development we are showing normal, knows that we would play sign him”, Bartomeu told Catalan radio was thinking of leaving Barcelona. the Madrigal stadium in in the games despite the draws. here,” Bartomeu said station Rac1. “He is the best player in The report said Messi was frus- Villarreal on July 5. “I do not regret the change of Val- In Spain, one of the countries most history. trated with the club’s failure to build a verde. The team needed a boost. aff ected by the pandemic, one of the He has many years of football left.” winning squad and was tired of leaks “Setien knows our DNA, the model main outbreaks has been in an inland Bartomeu also said Barca coach from the club which paint him in a bad and he has brought fresh air and new area of Catalonia, where regional au- Quique Setien would keep his job de- light. that he wants to fi nish (his career) at dent because he will sign for another ideas and is working hard,” said Bar- thorities on Saturday announced the spite a run of unconvincing form since He was also reportedly upset at re- Barca.” spell.” tomeu before adding that “coaches, isolation of some 200,000 inhabitants La Liga’s restart that has seen the ports that the players had got Valverde Bartomeu, who must stand down in Bartomeu said he spoke to his cap- evidently, need results.” in an area around the city of Lerida, reigning champions lose top spot to fi red. But Bartomeu said: “I see a re- 2021, insisted that he sees Messi “re- tain on Saturday. “If La Liga, which will be diffi cult, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) west of Real Madrid. laxed Leo...He has said many times tiring at Barca under another presi- “I talk to the players very often.